


Those Who Mourn

by TheLonelyGodWithABox



Series: Those Who... [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 07:03:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLonelyGodWithABox/pseuds/TheLonelyGodWithABox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stand alone one-shot, outtake from "Those Who Grieve." Harry mourns his parents' death on Halloween in his 5th year, but he is not the only one mourning Lily's passing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those Who Mourn

Aimlessly, Harry left the Great Hall and the Halloween festivities behind. Ron and Hermione were arguing over elf rights again, and Harry had no intention of making them pay attention to anything else if they were satisfied, bickering as they were. Pumpkins floated in the air, as did candles, and the smell of food filled the room. There was turkey and apple pie, pumpkin juice and sausages. A general air of gaiety hung over the Great Hall as Harry departed. None of the smiling and laughing faces noticed him leave.

Since everyone was celebrating, the rest of the school was deserted. Harry knew exactly where he would spend his Halloween. Immediately he began climbing his way to the seventh floor, and the Room of Requirement.

It was Halloween, and this was the anniversary of Voldemort's defeat. But for Harry, rather than feeling joyous, he knew it as the day he lost his parents. He knew it as the day that James and Lily Potter had died - for him. How anyone could celebrate, he didn't know, yet they did. It was rather thoughtless of the world to celebrate Halloween, he mused, and at not at least offer a moment of silence for what was lost. Perhaps it was being selfish, but Harry still wanted the group to acknowledge the passing of his parents.

He walked three times in front of the door to the Room of Requirement and it appeared. He slipped in, and found a mansion filled with rooms and hallways. Being careful to mark his way back, Harry found a warm, quiet, dark room with a small fire raging. He sat down on the couch and a mug of hot chocolate appeared on the table in front of him. He took it in his hands and cradled it. He raised it in a silent salute to the dead.

"For you, mom and dad," and he took a sip. He noticed photographs of his parents on the mantle over the fireplace. His mother was smiling down at him, and his father looked proud. Proud of him, Harry thought, but then dismissed it. The pictures certainly were not aware of his presence. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he thought of them. As if on cue, a slow, haunting melody began.

It spoke of deep pain and sorrow. Yet Harry would not have said that it was a depressing song, because there was a hint of a bittersweet joy at the edges of it. The happiness was something that was there, but the song couldn't grasp it. Harry had never heard the song before, but it suited the moment exceedingly. In fact, it was perfect. The melodious harmony of the piano washed over him and relaxed his tense muscles. It sounded so real, so close. The Room of Requirement really had outdone herself tonight.

It lasted a moment and then it was over. Taking one last sip of the chocolate, which had now cooled, Harry stood up and walked out, turning the hallway corner quickly, to make it back to the Great Hall before he was missed.

A moment later, another figure left the Room of Requirement, his black cloak billowing behind him.


End file.
